Chung: A worldwide language trend can't be ignored

I've always regarded my acquaintance Saul Gitlin as an overachiever. That's because he's a white, Jewish guy with an MBA who is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

He's managed to make a good living off his language skills as executive vice president of Kang & Lee Advertising, which helps companies reach multicultural consumers.

"I speak Chinese every single day - and I live in New York," Gitlin said.

Gitlin believes Mandarin will be the lingua franca, not just for people in his niche.

That's why I was struck by all the Sturm und Drang over Palo Alto's rather reluctant approval of a Mandarin immersion program this week.

Some were understandably upset because they thought the district approved it after parents threatened to create a Mandarin charter school. And some have worried, in an era of tight resources, that such a program costs too much for its value.

What was more interesting, however, was the undercurrent of resentment. Despite unmistakable trends in business and politics, we hear arguments that such a program gives in to special interests, that only Chinese want to learn such an "arcane" language as Mandarin, and that a new language program takes away from the basics.

The resistance to a pilot program for a language that will become of global importance seems, well, a little odd in such a well-regarded school district.

The next great shift

Perhaps it is a bit like cod-liver oil: So what if it's good for you? It just tastes bad to some people.

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Or maybe it tastes bad to some people because the demographics have changed in well-to-do pockets where Chinese-American parents are vocal. Transitions are hard. And make no mistake, this is one of them.

This isn't about an ethnic group being self-absorbed. Look around you. Americans even in Des Moines are learning Mandarin, and I don't mean those of Chinese heritage.

The truth is, international and economic political dynamics are changing, and preparation is essential. Gitlin, who worked for multinational companies in China for seven years, also speaks Hebrew and French. But it was a little piece he penned about learning Chinese that got my attention last year.

Gitlin used to get reactions of amazement such as, "Wow, I bet you can order authentic food at Chinese restaurants." But lately he's seen increased recognition of Mandarin's importance - and advantages. People now remark about his prescience or observe he can do whatever he wants on the global stage. It's about competitiveness now.

By contrast, I am a failure. I don't speak and write Mandarin, even though he and I started learning at roughly the same time, more than 25 years ago. It's a hard language; you have to apply yourself. Gitlin favors starting young because Chinese takes longer to master.

Betting on the future

Mandarin-speaking au pairs are now sought by upper middle class families. San Francisco used a Mandarin immersion program to lure parents to a school the district once considered closing.

"Why is it important? So we can navigate the future with the best advantages. Languages are the best bridges," Gitlin said. Powerhouse China is a competitor, with whom we want a balanced, productive relationship. Everyone is learning English in China, he said. "If they understand us, and we don't replicate that in terms of understanding them, our purely visceral fear will be borne out in the future."

Sure, you can learn some Chinese in college. Enough to get by. I can order a few things in a restaurant.